“Well guilty as charged,” is how Cathy responded to the Biblical Recorder when it was pointed out that some are critical of Chick-fil-A’s support of traditional values. “We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit.… We are a family owned business, a family led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.” (View the story here.)

For daring to express his view, he has been labeled homophobic, bigoted and his restaurant chain has been targeted by homosexual activists for a boycott.

The way Cathy and Chick-fil-A have been vilified by some homosexual activists and media reports, you would think that his view is aberrant, marginal and out of step with mainstream America. However, the truth is quite the opposite.

Based on the ballot box, a significant majority of Americans agree with Cathy. To date, 32 states have voted on the issue, and by an average margin of 67-33 percent, Americans in those states have said marriage is between only a man and a woman. North Carolina, in May, was the latest.

If you did not already know this, allow me to point out that if a candidate or issue garners 67 percent of the vote in an election, it is considered to be a landslide of epic proportions. Traditional marriage has even been affirmed by voters in liberal states like Oregon and California. The Golden State affirmed it twice – once with an initiative then with a constitutional amendment.

In spite of what the media seeks to portray, in spite of polls touted by special interest groups, in spite of what homosexual activists insist, if you support the concept of traditional marriage, you are not in the minority in America. Quite the contrary, you are part of a significant majority.

What you are witnessing with Chick-fil-A is an “end justifies the means” political effort to convince society to endorse homosexuality as natural, normal and healthy. This will be achieved if same-sex marriage is ever accepted in America.

There are millions of people like Dan Cathy who affirm a biblical and traditional view of sexuality.

So when the activists want to brand Dan Cathy as a hateful homophobe, don’t be deceived. They are actually calling the 67 percent of the American population who have voted to support traditional marriage hateful, homophobic and bigoted.

Dan Cathy is a hardworking, good man. He operates a good company. In many ways he is just like you and me.

Like many of us Cathy ascribes to traditional values. As a result, many brand him as hateful and his company worthy of boycott. Keep in mind that when they hold Cathy in contempt, they hold the 67 percent of us who agree with Cathy in contempt as well.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press, director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s office of public affairs, and editor of the Baptist Message www.baptistmessage.com, newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.)

Until there is a national referendum, please do not claim that "a significant majority of Americans agree with Cathy" as that cannot really be determined by these results. At one point, the majority of Americans were in favor of slavery and would have voted to to make it illegal for a black man and a white woman to marry. It's one thing to have an opinion, and Dan Cathy is allowed to do so. But with profits he's making by selling his product in America, he is financially contributing to organizations that are actively trying to punish those that have a different opinion. This is the issue. Pro-actively anti-gay is different that just having an opinion.I can't believe that people choose to be gay, anymore than I chose to be straight. I can't understand how this is difficult to understand. There are certain things that we just are attracted to, and to imply that gay people have all chosen this orientation is an idea that will eventually go away.

I can hardly believe this editorial was authored by an adult. Just because others are doing it, doesn't mean it's good or right or OK. It just means others are doing it. You can't know why they're doing it, so you have to think for yourself – a skill traditionally absent from the teachings of the Church.

I would like to point out that Mr. Cathy simply shared his belief and conviction. Mr. Cathy said nothing in any of the articles I have read about gay marriage or homosexuality. Nor is there any evidence that his business in any way discriminates against anyone doing business with Chik-fil-A. He is simply trying to live the life Christ has called us to and that is to love God above all others and love others as ourselves. It is each individual's choice to share or reject his beliefs, but remember, Mr Park is correct. Right and wrong are not determined by the majority, God himself determines right and wrong and we are free to choose whether we follow His rules. Mr. Cathy simply chooses to follow God's rules for what is right. He is not trying to impose them upon anyone else. One question to ask yourself though. Why does it bother people so much that he does play by the rules set forth by our Creator?

Mr. Park, You are certainly correct that right and wrong are not determined by the majority. Neither is right and wrong determined by a subjective sense of our own personal correctness. It is not determined by social trends and preferences. It was established before you and I were born, by someone who transcends time and history, and who delivered it to mankind in the most valuable and most read book of all times -- the Bible.You will notice that Mr. Boggs' point was not that the majority is right, but that Mr. Cathy is not alone in his beliefs that eternal, godly values are the standards for life. Cathy is not an oddity and should not be falsly characterized as such. Also, you should note that not one word has been voiced by the Cathy family indicating that they discriminate against anyone because they are male or female.

Unfortunately, right and wrong are not determined by the majority. Discriminating against people on the basis of their sexuality is wrong and it doesn't matter that 67% of the population supports it. It just means that 67% of people are wrong.

ABOUT THE BIBLICAL RECORDER
Since 1833 the Biblical Recorder has served North Carolina Baptists as the Baptist State Convention's official news journal - with the emphasis on news. The paper was founded by Thomas Meredith, an early pastor, writer and denominational statesman in North Carolina.